J&K politicians welcome V K Singh's denial

SRINAGAR: Jammu & Kashmir minister Ghulam Hassan Mir, who was accused of having taken Rs 1.19 crore to destabilize the state government in 2010, welcomed ex-Army chief V K Singh's denial.

He said the truth had prevailed. "I feel vindicated and have nothing else to say," he said.

CPM leader Mohammad Yousuf Targami said the ex-army chief U-turn has "restored the image of Kashmiri politicians". He said they were embarrassed as people always had doubts about the mainstream politicians. "The state's politicians feel vindicated and jubilant after the retired Army chief refused having made such remarks."

Jammu & Kashmir assembly speaker Mubarak Gul had on October 24 summoned V K Singh to explain his position within 20 days regarding his remarks that the Army had been funding Kashmiri politicians since 1947.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sought investigations into the remarks.